Cam Smith

Note: This page is for OF/IF Cam Smith who made his major league debut in 2025; for others with the same name, click here.

Cameron Vaughn Smith

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 224 lb.
• School Florida State University
• High School Palm Beach Central High School
• Debut March 27, 2025

• Born February 22, 2003 in Lake Worth, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Third baseman Cam Smith was the 14th player selected in the 2024 amateur draft, being taken by the Chicago Cubs out of Florida State University, one pick after teammate James Tibbs. He was coming off a season in which he had hit .387 in 66 games for the Seminoles, with 22 doubles, 16 homers, 82 runs and 57 RBIs in 66 games, helping to lead the school to the 2024 College World Series.

After signing with the Cubs, he was assigned to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the Carolina League, but received the first of two promotions after just 15 games, when he moved up to the South Bend Cubs of the Midwest League on August 27th. Two weeks later, he moved up again, this time to the Tennessee Smokies of the AA Southern League. Between the three stops, he hit .313/.396/.609 in 32 games, with 7 homers and 24 RBIs, giving every indication that his minor league apprenticeship would be a brief one. Established as one of the Cubs' top prospects, on December 13th he was included in a major trade as he was sent to the Houston Astros alongside IF Isaac Paredes and P Hayden Wesneski in return for OF Kyle Tucker. The deal was made possible because the Cubs had another top prospect in line to play third base in short order in Matt Shaw, who had been their #1 pick in 2023.

Smith immediately became the Astros' top prospect after the trade, and while Paredes, who had been acquired alongside him from the Cubs, was slated to be the team's starting third baseman in 2025, taking over from Alex Bregman who had left as a free agent, his strong play in spring training opened the door to his making the team as well. In order to increase his chances, he practiced playing right field under the tutelage of former Astro Michael Brantley as a way to increase his value as a potential substitute on the Opening Day roster. He did make the roster and was written in as the starting right fielder for Houston's first game; manager Joe Espada made the moment special by bringing Cam's mother to the clubhouse for the announcement. He had the third-fewest minor league games by a position player coming out of a draft and making it to an Opening Day roster: Pete Incaviglia had none, and John Olerud just six. He was also the first player from the 2024 draft to make his big league debut, although P Ryan Johnson, taken in the 2nd round by the Los Angeles Angels, also made it to the Opening Day roster and made his debut that same day, March 27th, as a reliever. For his part, Smith went 1 for 3 in a 3-1 win over the New York Mets, starting in right field.

Further Reading

• Jordan Bastian: "Cubs take FSU slugger Cam Smith with No. 14 pick: MLB Pipeline's No. 14 Draft prospect looking forward to returning to Wrigley", mlb.com, July 15, 2024. [1]
• Joshua Koch: "Cam Smith makes Astros roster -- and you have to see how he found out!", mlb.com, March 25, 2025. [2]
• Brian McTaggart: "Smith to get reps in RF in effort to make Opening Day roster", mlb.com, March 11, 2025. [3]

Related Sites

• Cam Smith on mlb.com
• BR Minors page
• Florida State bio